Sutton, Massachusetts. 1675

Many reverends are preaching from the pulpit that the natives must be driven out. That the fertile lands of the new world are intended by God Himself for the newcomers who swarm in ever-increasing numbers from England.

Prudence isn't so sure about that. She and her father have been traveling the quiet pathways of central Massachusetts for years now, spreading the good word, and their message is of peace and friendship. One of the converted "praying villages" they work with is named Manchaug, and the locals there have a special place in her heart. Especially Askuwheteau - "He keeps watch". In another world they might have fallen in love. They might even have married and raised a loving family.

But this is 1675, and Christian girls simply could not do such a thing. Her father would absolutely refuse to allow it, despite all his care in saving the souls of the heathens. And so her only hope is to spend a few precious days talking with Askuwheteau during her seasonal visit. She will treasure each hour they can spend together.

Her small wagon crests the hill -

Manchaug is in ashes.

* * *

Manchaug is the first of new short story series exploring the tumultuous world of Massachusetts in the late 1600s. It examines how the tens of thousands of incoming colonists tumbled up against the existing natives with increasing chaos. These books can be read singly or as a boxed set, once I write ten of them. Some people enjoy reading as I write while others prefer to wait and binge-read in a set. The stories contain no explicit violence nor intimacy. As such, they are suitable for teens and up.

Half of all proceeds from the Manchaug series benefit battered women's shelters.

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